Australia are not invincible, says West Indies coach

Melbourne, May 28 (IANS) Buoyed by their improved performance against Australians in the first Test at Sabina Park, West Indians claim that they have shattered the “superhuman” image of the Aussies. The Australians won by the 95 runs Tuesday, though not before facing some nervous moments.

“It has made us realise they are not superhuman,” West Indies coach John Dyson, the former Australian batsman, was quoted as saying in The Herald Sun.

“They can falter. They haven’t walked away within three days, as a lot of people expected. If we can apply enough pressure and continue doing the good things we can do, they might falter enough to give us that opening.

“I don’t think there was a huge difference between the teams in the Test,” Dyson said.

The difference in the end was the superb bowling of unrelenting seamer Stuart Clark, who returned with his best figures of 5-32 for a match haul of 8-91.

The West Indies crumbled to be all out for 191 on the final day, after reducing the tourists to 5-18 in their second innings.

The Calypso side also tamed Stuart MacGill (2-100 and 2-43) and Mitchell Johnson (2-63 and 0-29), although both men will play in this week’s second Test in Antigua.

The pressure showed on the final day, with the Australians dropping three catches, prompting the West Indies to claim the new-look world champions were far from invincible.

The Australian skipper Ponting insisted his side, without Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke, had dominated for most of the Test.

He also backed MacGill, returning from a hand injury, and Johnson, who was playing his first overseas Test.

“They probably are both not overly rapt in their performances, but they’re match winners for us in the past and I’m sure they’ll be match winners again,” Ponting said.

“Stuart showed good signs, and to take two late wickets will be good for his confidence. I think we have dominated for the majority of the Test.”

The Sabina Park win though virtually guaranteed Australia will retain the Frank Worrell Trophy because the West Indies would need to win the remaining two Tests in the series to pinch it back.

The series has been reduced from four Tests to three, giving the West Indies little chance of a fightback.

But Ponting says there is little option, given the hectic schedule of cricket. “The Ashes used to be six Tests. Now it’s five. Other Test series have been brought back from four to three,” Ponting said.

“Every tour I’ve been on here we’ve played four Tests, but there is only a certain amount of time on the calendar.”

Matthew Hayden (achilles tendon) should win his battle to play in the second Test, while Michael Clarke will come in after arriving late in the West Indies.